Coach's Interference?

[Dave Hensley]

Originally Posted by Armadillo_Blue

I'm sorry, I should have specified OBR.

Steve, In a sitch like this, don't you feel that the contact, if made, would contstitute a physical assist. We are talking about a coach deliberately placing himself in front of the runner to stop the runner. This would not be a train wreck or an accident, this would be deliberate contact designed to stop the runner from advancing and force them to return to third.

I agree that Steve's conclusion of a train wreck is questionable. Here's a similar caseplay from Jim Evans' Baseball Rules Annotated:

Runner on 1st. The batter smacks a line drive base hit into the gap in left center. The runner flies around 2nd and is determined to score on the play. The3rd base coach is pointing for the runner to stop at 3rd. Seeing the runner is not going to stop, the coach gets in the runner's path home and is run over by his charging player. Both fall to the ground. The runner gets up and barely gets back to the base ahead of a tag. What's the call?

RULING: The coach's action should be considered physically assisting. He probably prevented his player from being thrown out at home. However, the runner is called out for his coach's actions. The B-R returns to the base
last touched at the time of the collision.

[mcrowder]

The question should not be "Was there contact?" (Although without contact, you have nothing). The question is, "Did the contact ASSIST the runner?" If so, out, if not, nothing. Note no mention of intent here. Did the contact have the effect of HELPING (Yes - out)? Did the contact have no effect on the runner or did the contact actually end up having the effect of HARMING the runner (Yes to either - nothing).

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Dave Hensley

I agree that Steve's conclusion of a train wreck is questionable. Here's a similar caseplay from Jim Evans' Baseball Rules Annotated:

Runner on 1st. The batter smacks a line drive base hit into the gap in left center. The runner flies around 2nd and is determined to score on the play. The3rd base coach is pointing for the runner to stop at 3rd. Seeing the runner is not going to stop, the coach gets in the runner's path home and is run over by his charging player. Both fall to the ground. The runner gets up and barely gets back to the base ahead of a tag. What's the call?

RULING: The coach's action should be considered physically assisting. He probably prevented his player from being thrown out at home. However, the runner is called out for his coach's actions. The B-R returns to the base
last touched at the time of the collision.

I agree that intentionally moving into the runner's path would constitute interference. I would have to judge that it really was intentional. If the coach looked like he was trying to get out of the way, and merely zigged when he should have zagged, I would be less inclined to call it. If on the other hand, the coach clearly stepped in the runner's path in order to stop his momentum, yeah, I've got me some interference.